Coin changer

ABSTRACT

A coin changing apparatus including a coin receiving station into which a coin to be changed for coins of lower denomination may be inserted and a release mechanism operably associated therewith wherein operation of the release mechanism upon insertion of a coin into the coin receiving station will effect the dispensing of the predetermined exchange of coins, the apparatus comprising a magazine including one or more generally vertical coin storage column elements, an opening at the lower end of each of the column element, a generally horizontally displaceable pusher mechanism disposed in each the opening, and the release mechanism being operably connected to each of the pusher mechanism which is effective against a predetermined number of coins in the column element.

United States Patent Petersen J ly 9, 9 5

[54] COIN CHANGER Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves [76] Inventor: Evy Petersen, Ostervangsvej 23, Asmmnf 7f iz gs g Gjesing DK 67OO Esbjergq Denmark Attorney, Agent, or 1rm ar 0c 5 [22] Filed: Oct. 19, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 407,846

A coin changing apparatus including a com receiving station into which a coin to be changed for coins of U-S. lower denomination y be inserted and a release [51] Int. Cl. 607d l/04 mechanism Opel-ab), associated therewith wherein [58] Field of Search 133/1 5? 221/241 eration of the release mechanism upon insertion of a 22l/274 coin into the coin receiving station will effect the dispensing of the predetermined exchange of coins, the References cued apparatus comprising a magazine including one or UNITED STATES PATENTS more generally vertical coin storage column elements, 621,124 3/1899 McAneny 133/2 Opening at the lower end of each of the column 1,141,410 6/1915 Plopper 133/2 ment, a generally horizontally displaceable pusher 1,392,691 10/1921 Lewis 133/2 mechanism disposed in each the opening, and the re- 2,763,272 911958 :atzelrl lease mechanism being operably connected to each of 2,921,591 I 196 arre the pusher mechanism which is effective against a pre determined number of coins in the column element.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUL29 I975 SHEET PATENTEDJULZS I975 SHEET IHH 3 COIN CHANGER The present invention relates to a coin changer of the type, in which by inserting a coin, by way of example a -crown piece and by operating a release mechanism one can release a definite number af coins for change, e.g. five l-crown pieces, from a coin changing magazine in the coin changer, which magazine is composed of a number of mainly vertical columns of coins, from the bottom of which the lowest coin or coins of each column can be pushed out horizontally by means of a pushing mechanism.

A coin changer of the said type is known, e.g. from the specification of the Danish Pat. no. 71.163. That coin changer is, however, relatively complicated, particularly as far as the coin pushing mechanism is concerned and has in practice proved not to be quite reliable in operational respect. Furthermore the changer is expensive to manufacture on account of its complicated construction.

An object of the present invention is to provide a reliable and in constructional respect simple coin changer of the said type. This is according to the invention achieved by a coin changer the magazine of changing coins and the pushing mechanism of which are constructed as stated in the characterizing part of claim 1. The advantage of this construction is, that you achieve in a simple manner a forced steering of the pawl-like coin pushers, so that these with safety occasions the pushing out of one set and only one set of changing coins by each release. The functional principle on which the forced steering of the pushers is based is as follows. During the first phase of the release cycle of the coin changer each pusher is displaced along the under side of the lowest coin in the column of coins in question, as the guide pins hereby move along the under sides of the guide flaps, against which the pins are kept in contacting rest of the spring located under the pusher. In the most withdrawn position of the pusher, in which the pusher is with its front edge drawn free of the lowest coin in the column, the pusher is pressed upwards by the pusher, till the guide pins are located in the plane above the guide flaps.

During the return movement of the pusher the guide pins move along the top side of the guide flaps, and the pusher will consequently by way of force with its front edge push the lowest coin or coins in the column in front of itself. In the starting position the pusher is again with its guide pins located in front of the front edges of the of the guide flaps, and the pusher is, therefore, under the weight of the coins in the column pressed down against the spring, until the coins rest against the bottom of the column. The guide pins thereby again get down into a plane under the guide flaps, and the mechanism is ready for the next working cycle.

In a particularly appropriate embodiment according to the invention the guide pins are vertically adjustable in relation to the top side of the pusher in question. Thereby one obtains in an easy and quick manner to be able to alter the active pushing level of the pusher, i.e. the level of that part of the column of coins which the pusher activates by the pushing. This is of importance by adaption of the coin changer to various species of coins, just as the number of coins released by each pusher by a release can be adjusted in this manner. The adjustability of the guide pins is particularly simple achieved by constructing the pins as stated in claim 3.

The invention will be more detailed explained below in connection with the drawing, in which FIG. 1 illustrates a coin changer according to the invention in schematic part section and with the primary functional parts in starting position,

FIG. 2 the same part section with the functional parts of the coin changer in a first changing phase,

FIG. 3 a coin pusher in side elevation, and

FIG. 4 same in front view.

The coin changer is in usual manner constructed with a closed cabinet, in which there is a per se known approbation device for inserted coins, depositories for changing coins, a pushing out mechanism for these and a receptable for inserted coins at the bottom of the cabinet. The cabinet is at the front provided with a coin insertion, which is connected to an approbation device. Coins which are received by this device drop further down through a chute l, which is shown in section in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The coin is retained at the discharge opening of the chute l by a pawl 2, which is located transversally to the chute immediately under its opening. The pawl 3 is rotatably embedded on an arm 3 and is by a spring 4 which is inserted between the pawl 2 and the arm 3 kept with its underside 5 resting against an arm 7 which is welded on the frame 6 of the changer. This arm 7 is designed with a projection which is located at a certain distance in front of the front edge of the pawl 2, when the pawl is in its starting position. The pawl 2 is wedgeshaped, as its top side converges towards the under side 5 in the direction towards the said projection 8. The chute l is above the discharge opening provided with a split-like opening 9 in connection to which is suspended a freely revolvable pawl 10. This pawl is adapted to, by means of a locking part 11, which in the freely pendent normal position of the pawl 10 is introduced into the chute 1 through the opening 9, to form a return blocking for a coin l2 retained in the chute 1 above the pawl 2.

The arm 3 is at its lower end velded on to a horizontal shaft 13, which is rotatably embedded in the frame of the changer. The shaft 13 has with its foremost end been led out through the front plate of the cabinet and is provided with an outside operation handle 14 (FIG. 3).

From the shaft 13 two downwards inclining arms 14 are extending which are rigidly connected to the shaft and which at their lower ends carry a cross bar 15 which is parallel to the shaft 13, to which are hinged a number of mainly in a horizontal plane displaceable coin pushers 16, which are guided in a vertical plane by a split guide flap 17. In the horizontal plane the pushers 16 are guided in combination by a horizontal guide flap 18 which is firmly attached on each side of the individual pusher, and by a guide pin 19 located on each side of the pusher itself at its front end and a tongue-like leaf spring 20 located under each pusher, which rests against the under side of the pusher.

The pusher l6 co-operates with a number of coin storage columns 21 corresponding to the number of pushers which form the changing coins magazine of the changer. The columns 21, which are formed as open cylinders are located side by side connected to a retaining plate 22. The retaining plate 22 is provided with horizontal flaps 23, which are extending down under the lower openings of the coin storage columns 21 at a certain distance from same. The distance has been chosen to match the thickness of the species of coins in the column in question. Between the individual flaps 23 there are split-like openings, into which the said coin pushers 16 have been displaccably introduced. The retaining plate 22 with the coin storage columns 21 have been constructed as a unit which can be removed from the changer.

The activation of the specified pusher system, the central part of which is the shaft 13, takes place by means of the handle 14 on the front of the cabinet. On turning the shaft 13 between two end positions, limited e.g. by stationary rests, the pawl 2 is moved in relation to the arm 7 and the coin pushers in relation to the coin columns 21. In the starting position (FIG. 1) the pins 19 of the pushers 16 are located immediately in front of and on a level under the guide flaps 18, as the pushers in this position rest freely against the tongue-like leaf springs 20.

On turning the shaft 13 from the starting position (FIG. 1) to the position shown in FIG. 2, which takes place in the direction indicated by the arrow 30 in FIG. 2. the pushers are pulled backwards, i.e. away from the coin columns 21. Hereby the pins 19 are moved along the under sides of the flaps 18 and simultaneously the leaf springs 20 are forced downwards. When the shaft 13 takes up its largest end position, i.e. when the pushers 16 are in their most retracted position, the pins 19 are located behind the rear edges of the guide flaps 18, and the springs 20 will in this position force the pushers 16 upwards, so that the pins 19 get on a level above the guide flaps 18. On now returning the pushers 16, which is done by leading back the handle 14 into its starting position, the pins 19 are moved above the guide flaps 18 into a split between these and the flaps 23. During the return movement the pushers 16 will with their foremost edges push out the coin at the bottom of each of the columns 21. The so released coins are led through a chute system to a discharge opening at the front of the changer The described working cycle depends on a coin 12 being inserted in the chute 1 above the pawl 2. This coin will as a result of its return movement being prevented by the pawl and on account of the wedge shape of the pawl 2, force the pawl 2 to tip, when the pawl under the turning of the shaft 13 is moved against the notch 8 of the arm 7. The pawl 2 will consequently be forced to take up the position shown in FIG. 2, in which the notch 8 will present no obstacle to the continued movement of the pawl. If on the other hand no coin 12 had been inserted into and received by the chute 1, the pawl 2 would be led directly against the notch 8, which would prevent a further turning of the shaft 13.

When the arm 3 has reached its maximum position of deflection the rear edge of the pawl 2 has been drawn quite free of the coin 12 which will, therefore, drop freely into the receptable at the bottom of the coin changer.

A return arresting device for the shaft 13, not shown in the drawing, in this connection serves to prevent. that an incorrect operation of the changer. e.g. by incomplete operation of the release handle 14, should cause that the inserted coin 12 was released from the chute 1, before the guide pins 19 of the pushers l6 arrived up above the guide flaps 18, so that the subsequent return of the handle 14 was carried out without a simultaneous release of change coins. This is prevented by the said return arresting device which just determines that the handle 14 has been quite retracted before a return is possible.

In a particularly appropriate embodiment the guide pins 19 are shaped as eccentric pins in the ends of a cylindric shaft piece 31, which has been inserted in a through going transverse bore in the respective pusher 16 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The pins 19 of a pusher can, therefore be jointly adjusted vertically in relation to the top side of the pusher by simply turning the shaft piece 31 in the bore. After adjustment the pins are attached by means of a screw 32 or like clamping means.

The adjustment makes it possible to adjust the active pusher height of the individual pusher 16, so that the individual pushers may be easily readjusted between various species of coins. The pushers may also be adjusted for pushing e.g. tickets or like objects, in which case the columns 21 must naturally have a cross section shape which is adapted to the objects in question. Or it is possible to adjust the pushers to push singly one or more coins at a time, in which case the distance between the columns 21 and the flaps 23 must correspond to the total thickness of this number of coins.

It is furthermore pointed out. that the changer can be adapted to receive several identical coins at a time for changing. The only requirement is, that the pawl 10 is placed at a distance above the pawl 2 corresponding to the total height of the coins which are piled edge to edge above each other in the chute 1.

I claim:

1. Coin changer of the type, in which by insertion of a coin, by way of example a 5-crown piece and by operating a release mechanism, one can release a definite number of coins for change, e.g. five l-crown pieces, from a coin changing magazine in the changer, which magazine comprises a number of mainly vertical columns of coins, from the bottom of which the lowest coin or coins of each column can be pushed out horizontally by means of a pushing mechanism, characterized in that two mainly horizontal guide flaps (18) are situated on the same level and at a certain distance under each column (21 said flaps forming a split-like opening under the column in question, a horizontally displaceable pusher (16) operably associated with said split-like opening with the direction of displacement of said pusher being influenced by the release mechanism (1-14) of the changer through a linkage (15), said pusher (16) having two sideways extending guide pins (19) for cooperation with the flaps (18), a tongue-like spring (20) being located under the pusher (16), said spring stressing the pusher by an upwards directed pressure. and said guide flaps (18) being limited in extension in the direction of displacement to the extent that in the end positions of the pusher the guide pins (19) pass beyond the end edges of the flaps (18) with the guide pins moving along the under sides of said flaps on retracting to a change ejecting condition and above the upper sides of said flaps during change ejection. and said guide pins (19) being vertically adjustable in relation to the top side of the pusher (16) in question.

2. Coin changer according to claim 1, characterized in that, the guide pins are shaped as eccentric pins, which are carried by a shaft piece (31 which is rotatably embedded in a transverse bore in the pusher, which can be fixed by means of suitable clamping means, e.g. a screw (32). 

1. Coin changer of the type, in which by insertion of a coin, by way of example a 5-crown piece and by operating a release mechanism, one can release a definite number of coins for change, e.g. five 1-crown pieces, from a coin changing magazine in the changer, which magazine comprises a number of mainly vertical columns of coins, from the bottom of which the lowest coin or coins of each column can be pushed out horizontally by means of a pushing mechanism, characterized in that two mainly horizontal guide flaps (18) are situated on the same level and at a certain distance under each column (21), said flaps forming a split-like opening under the column in question, a horizontally displaceable pusher (16) operably associated with said split-like opening with the direction of displacement of said pusher being influenced by the release mechanism (1-14) of the changer through a linkage (15), said pusher (16) having two sideways extending guide pins (19) for cooperation with the flaps (18), a tongue-like spring (20) being located under the pusher (16), said spring stressing the pusher by an upwards directed pressure, and said guide flaps (18) being limited in extension in the direction of displacement to the extent that in the end positions of the pusher the guide pins (19) pass beyond the end edges of the flaps (18) with the guide pins moving along the under sides of said flaps on retracting to a change ejecting condition and above the upper sides of said flaps during change ejection, and said guide pins (19) being vertically adjustable in relation to the top side of the pusher (16) in question.
 2. Coin changer according to claim 1, characterized in that, the guide pins are shaped as eccentric pins, which are carried by a shaft piece (31), which is rotatably embedded in a transverse bore in the pusher, which can be fixed by means of suitable clamping means, e.g. a screw (32). 